Improved cattle-guard for railroads



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n Letters .Patent No. 77,677, dated v.May 5,1868.

IMPROVEDA'GATTIiEr-GUARD FOR RAILROADS.

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YTo ALL WHoM IT MAY eoNoERN;

Be it known that LHUGH TAGART, 'of Jack'sontowm in the county of Licking, and in theState of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Railroad-Gates; and do hereby. declares' that the following is a full, clear, and' exact description thereof, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, and the letters of reference marked thereon. v

In the annexed drawings, making apart of this specication, represents avcircnlar hollow case or drum, cast in two parts, which forms a suitable case and bearings forthe circular balance-or weight B.

One of Athe parts of the case A- is provided with lugs or ears, by which or through which it is screwed or bolted to the cross-ties of a railroad. l i l The-balance or weight B is made of cast metal, substantially in the form shown, and is rigidly secured to a suitable shaft, H, which has its bearings in the case A. The weight B is made so as 'to exactly t inside-of v its case and revolve therein, and its' shaft His made square at'one end, so as to t in a suitable socket therefor in the end of the adjustable shaft'C.

The shaft C is made of suitable length to work between the two cases A A, and is provided with sockets in which4 t the square ends of the shafts H H. Secured to the shaft C is a series of perpendicular rods or slats,

D D, which extend across between the rails and form a gate' or fence. The shafts H Hmay also have similar rods secdred to themoutsidc of the rails, lif desired. i

The cases A A, being closed as shown,keep the dirt or earth from the .weight o'r balance B, so that there is no danger of its being clogged and prevented from operating `and holding the shaftC in proper position.

Whenever a car or train of cars cornes along either way, it will be seen that the rods D D may be `readily A` pressed or turned down out of the'way, and when the train has passed, the weights force them back to a vertical position, so that cattle or other stock are prevented from passing along the track.

For greater security, and to relieve the rods D-D and shaft C from sudden jerks, I adjust a fall, F, to the cow-catcher of the engine, which is hung, as shown, at an inclination, so that the tops of the rods D are first struck, aud thereby more readily turned out of the way. i f

The fall F is attached, in any suitable manner, to the eng-ine or cow-catcher, and adjusted at any desired angle by means of a cord, g, as showuin the drawings.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I elairn as new, and 'desire to secure by Letters Patent, is-` The combinationvof the ease A, shaft H, andweight B with the shaft C, provided with a series of vertical rods, D D, when constructed substantially as described, and operated as and for the purpose specified.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing, I have hereunto set my hand, this 26th day of February, 1868. I HUGH TAGART. Witnesses: v

JAMES-H. WIJLARGH,

WILLIAM J. Pana 

